Highway parole

One early Saturday morning in October I was driving north on the M6 Toll motorway, relishing in the fact that it seemed similar to the days when the M1 opened (similar amounts of traffic). Out of the corner of my eye I spotted some fluorescent cars on a bridge. I immediately slowed and duly saw 3 police cars and a speed camera being operated on the bridge. As I passed under, a high-speed pursuit vehicle had pulled over an obviously unobservant driver and another vehicle was waiting on the slip road. Unbelievable. 5 cars and heavens knows how many personnel to prosecute motorists in what is most probably the safest of environments. By contrast on arriving back home on the same day, my son phoned to say their student house had been broken into, completely ransacked and the thugs had taken 9 laptops and other personal belongings. Guess what they got? A crime number. When is the government of this country going to stop targeting the motorist in such an unfair manner?

Asked on 23 January 2010 by A.T., Kilsby

Answered by Honest John

That was an Automatic Number Plate Recognition check, not a speed check. From the plates of the cars the camera system can tell the police if a car is taxed, MoT'd, insured, stolen or wanted for another crime. That explains why the pursuit cars were in place. They are there to catch drivers who can't afford to insure their cars and may also be committing other offences that have now been criminalised.

Tags: automatic number plate recognition police

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